12ga GHE 30" Vent Rib

[Don Anderson]

I recently bought this gun and this is the place with the experts, so I'm looking for information and comments on this gun. I also bought a British proofed 20ga VH I'll reference in a different post.

Here's what I have: Based on my search so far this appears to be a pretty rare configuration.

Serial # 216741

30" vent rib barrels with 2 ivory beads. Choked about -.030" and -.035" per my Bore gauge. I can not find a ser number engraved under the rib.

Ejectors.

Barrel marked "Parker Bros Makers Meridian CT USA Parker Special Steel

Frame 1 1/2? See pics the 2 is very faint. Measures 1.116 between firing pin holes

Straight stock w matching numbers on long tang.

Hart recoil pad.

Single Selective trigger which I believe is the Factory version

https://i.imgur.com/Qv7Y0eJ.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/H4d5Jn1.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/q9kbQCK.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/y1Q4nVe.jpg

[Don Anderson]

More pics:

https://i.imgur.com/qmYcvRC.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/6e6yHEZ.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/r48OuCE.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/kXK1V5k.jpg

[John Davis]

Definitely a 1 1/2 frame.

[Scott Smith]

Order a letter if one is available. That should provide good information.

[Don Anderson]

Order a letter if one is available. That should provide good information.

10-4.

The serial number search indicates there is information available, so I'm working through the on-line letter request.

Any comments on condition and approximate value would be appreciated also.

https://i.imgur.com/KFA31mR.jpg

[Dean Romig]

That thing’s got some chokes!!!





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[John Davis]

I’d call it light full and full.

[Dean Romig]

That rib serial number is usually just the last three digits and is stamped into the underside of the rib between the second and third posts. You’ll need a thin inspection mirror to find it.





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[Reggie Bishop]

Welcome to the forum!

Positives-It does appear to be a proper vent rib Parker. Vent rib guns come to market fairly often. The Guyette & Deeter auction coming up has at least 4 that come to mind, maybe more than 4. So they aren't rare but they are uncommon. Gun appears to be in good condition.

Negatives from my perspective. The dolls head doesn't fit properly. The barrels have probably been adjusted causing that issue. Doesn't affect how the gun shoots, just an indication of some past adjusting. A letter might mention that the gun was ordered with a recoil pad.

Stock dimensions would also impact value to most buyers, as would barrel length and condition of the barrels (bore condition, wall thickness etc).

Nice Parker that should be a pleasure to shoot!

[Bill Murphy]

What kind of "barrel adjustment" can cause the outrageous gaps in the extension rib. The only adjustment I can think of is an adjustment with a file, or a barrel replacement. Where is the picture of the left side of the barrel lug? I would want to see the serial number on the lug. A vent rib Parker that is not configured as a target gun is an interesting variation. Tapered rib is neat. Wood is nice, original finishes in wood and metal are gone.

[Reggie Bishop]

Bill I know you like to read, so here is a thread that discusses this topic--

https://parkerguns.org/forums/showthread.php?t=43633&highlight=doll%27s+head

[Dean Romig]

Tightening the hook to the roll pin could have caused the gaps at the doll’s head.





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[J. Scott Hanes]

The Identification & Serialization book does not list either the VR or the SST; only that is was ordered with a second set of barrels. Of course, the 'book' is not always accurate. As for the serial # under the rib, I found the number on the VR DHE I recently bought at the very rear of the rib, barely visible, after looking in the normal location.

[Don Anderson]

Thank you all for the observations and evaluations. When I first handled this gun, it seemed entirely too tight for it's vintage, so I suspect it has been reworked at some point. I'm not too far from Ellijay GA, so I'm going to get Bill Schwarz to give this one and the 20ga VH I bought a once over.
If the entire gun has been worked over, it won't hurt my feelings as I purchased both guns at a local shop for less than I see some tired old 12ga Trojans selling for.


More pictures for further evaluation and re some of the above questions.

https://i.imgur.com/dS9n8bv.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/ASK8ZKw.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/XiGibOi.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/0dVxfOf.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/autRzRe.jpg

[Don Anderson]

https://i.imgur.com/aUYeXSP.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/rBWtJ5Y.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/W8t3u0y.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/AhVuoT0.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/3epwQjl.jpg

[GunnerGrilli]

That thing’s got some chokes!!!




.


Choke for Smoke Baby!!! :cool::cool::cool:


Nice gun, enjoy it.



Bobby

[Don Anderson]

Choke for Smoke Baby!!! :cool::cool::cool:


Nice gun, enjoy it.



Bobby

Thanks. I plan to give it a try in the next day or 2 on the local 5 stand. Selective trigger and ejectors check out on snap caps, but I'll single load with a snap cap in the other chamber until I determine that it doesn't have an issue with doubling. I normally shoot a pretty mild 7/8oz hand load for sporting clays which should work well. It seems to fit me pretty well.

[Dean Romig]

Despite the omission of the vent rib in the serialization book, the gun was obviously made for a vent rib barrel. The flat top across the breech face proves this fact.





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[Don Anderson]

Despite the omission of the vent rib in the serialization book, the gun was obviously made for a vent rib barrel. The flat top across the breech face proves this fact.

.

Thanks. Dean.

Great detail. I did not notice that, but now I see the flat area you are referring to.

[David C Porter]

The fonts on the barrel serial number don't match the fonts on the receiver or forend, & tightening the action would not cause the gap in the dolls head. With the latter style fonts on the barrel it probably got a replacement barrel at some latter date.

[Gerald McPherson]

In the pictures it appears to me that the gun is not fully closed. It might look somewhat better if the barrels were fully seated. Could something be hindering it or is that it?

[Don Anderson]

In the pictures it appears to me that the gun is not fully closed. It might look somewhat better if the barrels were fully seated. Could something be hindering it or is that it?

It seems to be full closed. It snaps closed like my K80 which is what I noticed when I first handled it and raised my suspicion that it had been tightened up.

I'm fairly knowledgeable with regard to used guns; just retired from 20+ years in the industry including buying and selling thousands of vintage guns, however the one thing I'm absolutely sure of is you learn something new every day when it comes to vintage guns, and there are always people, or in the case of this forum, groups of people who know more about specific guns.

I'm a shooter, not a collector. With regard to this specific gun I'm deciding if I wan't make some small modifications like open the chokes a little and shoot it for SXS sporting clays. Or is it original and unique enough that it it shouldn't be messed with. I have other guns and vintage SxSs I also shoot for sporting so it would never be pounded with 10K shells a year.

[Dean Romig]

David, I agree with you concerning the stamp fonts and the possibility of a barrel replacement but it is clear that the frame was manufactured for vent rib barrels.
An incomplete tightening job could result in the gaps around the doll’s head. The doll’s head section of the rib should have been removed, shortened where it joins the rib, then reinstalled to have eliminated those gaps.





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[Don Anderson]

J. Scott Hanes noted that the factory records indicate that it left the factory with 2 sets of barrels.

Could that indicate that second set of barrels was fitted to the gun after the fact by the factory to fill a special order (and possibly added the SS trigger) and would that account for the mismatched font on the stamps?

Also will the letter have additional information than what is known here, or just document what is being discussed.

[Dean Romig]

A letter on such a gun will often give information that we can only guess at.






.

[Don Anderson]

Headed out now to run some shells through it and the little 20ga VH.
Where the rubber hits the road :)

[Don Anderson]

Plans changed and I didn't make it to the range, but I have some traps at the farm so I tried out both of my new Parkers. Wow. They both functioned like new. I was worried about the single trigger on this GHE since they apparently can be problematic, but it worked perfect. Selector, and ejectors worked as they should and the trigger reset was very nice.

I had a camera set up on my first station. The Champion WheelyBird is running off of a Ryobi 18V tool battery, and it randomly throws following pairs which I see as a feature not a flaw.

Really happy with how the GHE shoots.

link to Short YouTube video:

https://youtu.be/jpZmOBfPmO8

[Bill Murphy]

You have obviously followed the advice I give to those who want to open their chokes, "Learn to Shoot". That was quite a show of good shooting.

[Gerald McPherson]

I have a wheely bird with remote control and delay. I use a lawn mower size battery 12 volt. Looks like the tool battery is pretty strong

[Don Anderson]

I have a wheely bird with remote control and delay. I use a lawn mower size battery 12 volt. Looks like the tool battery is pretty strong

Yep. Both of my machines throw a little faster with the Ryobi batteries, but they work great and I always have batteries ready to go. I can stick a couple of them in my shooting vest pockets and just snap them into the adapters which I leave attached to the traps.

They have a new version that regulates them to 12volts, but this setup has been working for 3+ years with no problems.

https://i.imgur.com/3QiN6ri.png

[Don Anderson]

I made the short drive up to see Bill Schwarz today and let him look over my 2 new Parkers. It's great to have such a talented and helpful gunsmith so close.

In general, he gave both guns a clean bill of health, with the exception the 20ga has a split in the headstock. It has no visible cracks, but if you flex the butt stock you can see the right ear move slightly away from the action. You can also hear the difference if you tap on the right ear as compared to the left. His prognosis was common split that he could easily repair. I told him I planned to hunt with gun and asked it was OK to shoot low pressure 2 3/4" shells. His reply was it would be much better to lengthen the chambers to 2 3/4" and then I could shoot it with no worries going forward. He's going to do that work as well as open the right choke to IC.

The 12ga GHE is good to go. He confirmed that the action had been tightened up and after inspection he said whoever did the work knew what they were doing. Barrels have been rust blued and the wood refinished. Again he commented that it was very nice work. He measure the chambers and said they had been lengthened to 2 3/4. He didn't find anything out of place or mismatched. No mechanical issues were found.

I inquired about the gap where the dog's head fits the action and he said it was a result of hook being re-built to tighten the action, but said it's nothing to worry about so I won't.

I left the 20ga with him and brought the 12ga home. I'll be shooting a round of sporting clays with it this Wednesday.

[Gerald McPherson]

Don, what year is the 20 ga? I have a 1924 vh 20ga that has 2 3/4 chamber.

[Don Anderson]

Gerald.

1904 manufacture. Bill checked the chamber with his gauge to confirm they are 2 1/2"

Also, he checked the chokes and confirmed my measurements of -.025 in both barrels.

[John Davis]

Don, Bill is a great guy and a great gun smith. And honestly, I’d leave the chokes alone.

[Don Anderson]

The 20 ga will be a mainly a quail / dove / rabbit gun and the tight chokes are just overkill. IC and Mod will be more useful. Bill was surprised both chokes were mod. Having a choice between IC and Mod is more practical for me.

[David Livesay]

If the entire gun has been worked over, it won't hurt my feelings as I purchased both guns at a local shop for less than I see some tired old 12ga Trojans selling for.

Just curious about where the gun shop is and the price paid if you got both guns for the price of a 12-gauge Trojan. You SCORED!!!!!!

[Don Anderson]

Dave, Since buying these guns and joining this group, I've learned I overestimated what a tired 12ga Trojan sells for.

On the other hand, I think both of the Parkers I bought are worth a little more than I initially estimated. I paid $1100 each out the door. It's a rather large gun store that sells a good many used guns, but they specialize in black rifles, police trade in's, optics, silencers etc. I've gotten some really good deals there over the years when they buy out an estate, since vintage guns are not their thing.

[Dave Noreen]

Don, what year is the 20 ga? I have a 1924 vh 20ga that has 2 3/4 chamber.

Does it letter as being ordered chambered for 2 3/4-inch shells? My 1930 vintage VH 20-gauge still sports the 2 3/8-inch chambers intended for 2 1/2-inch shells.

[Gerald McPherson]

Dave, No letter available for the VH 20ga.

Don, I've never seen a Vh 20 gauge offered for $1100. A rough one will average $2200. The GHE you have will fetch $3300+ in my opinion.

Of course, you probably know this.

[Don Anderson]

Thanks Gerald. That's in line with what I'm thinking. The 30" Vent rib 12 might fetch a little more from someone with a case of the wants for a VR gun, but these have probably found their home as long as I'm able to hunt and shoot. A couple of my sporting clays buddies that own multiple P and K guns have been drooling over it.

Other than the silver inlay on the right hand side of the butt stock, Bill didn't detect any modifications to the 20ga. "Just good honest wear" as he put it. Well cared for with no functional issues.

I've got a pretty bad case of Parker fever right now and it seems to be getting worse. My conversation with Bill certainly added fuel to the flame.